A Timeline Of Television’s Same-Sex Weddings

Friends – “The One With The Lesbian Wedding”

Airdate: January 18, 1996

At first, Ross finds it hard to cope with the fact that his ex-wife Carol is marrying the woman she left him for. However, when her parents won’t give her away, Ross stands in their place giving her away while also giving his blessing. Rick Santorum feared that this would lead to an episode where Ross marries Marcel the Monkey.

Queer As Folk – “The Wedding”

Airdate: March 31, 2002

Lindsay and Melanie’s wedding marked the first time that a major gay characters got married on cable television.

Degrassi: The Next Generation – “Voices Carry (2)”

Airdate: November 9, 2004

One of the benefits of shooting a show in Canada is that your characters are free to marry one another despite their gender.